As The Oval prepares to stage 100th Test, Devon Malcolm recalls 1994 match between England and South Africa

The Ashes were regained here, countless centuries were scored here and decisive wickets taken. This was the scene of the most famous duck in cricket. The place is called home by Alec Stewart, Ricky Ponting and many more. It has been quite an innings for The Oval — and this week the ground will bring up its century.

If Lord’s is the home of cricket in England, The Oval is its favourite day out. The atmosphere here is different from Lord’s — more raucous, but no less enjoyable. So often it is the venue for the final match of a Test series, and it is the perfect ground for it.

As they prepare for the 100th Test, which will start tomorrow when England take on South Africa, Surrey have published on their website the memories of several iconic players. From Ponting to Andrew Flintoff, from Kevin Pietersen to Brian Lara, all have spoken about what the ground means to them.

Sir Donald Bradman arrived here in August 1948, for his final Test, needing four runs to end his international career with an average of more than 100. He was bowled, second ball, for a duck. The average slipped to 99.94.

For England fans, Ashes memories stand out. There was Pietersen’s 158 that ensured the urn would be regained, after the unforgettable summer of 2005. That is one of the Tests Surrey chose among the 10 most memorable to take place here. Bradman’s last Test is there, too, along with the first Test in England — staged in 1880 — and Australia’s victory two years later that was the birth of the Ashes.

And yet, because of England’s opponents this week, the 1994 Oval Test is worth a second look. On that day, Devon Malcolm — a frighteningly quick, frustratingly unpredictable bowler — decided South Africa’s batsmen were “history”. He was delighted to learn this Test had made Surrey’s top 10.

Wound up by a bouncer from Fanie de Villiers that struck him on the helmet, Malcolm says he told the South Africa fielders: “You guys are history”. He then produced an extraordinary spell, taking nine for 57 from 16.3 overs, to win the game for England.

He told Standard Sport: “It is 23 years ago but I don’t think a day has gone by without someone asking me about it. I might be in the supermarket or somewhere like that but people will still come over and mention it.

“Judging by the number of people who say they were there, there must have been 60,000 or 70,000 in the ground! People talk about me being hit on the head, and that added fuel to the fire, but I had felt good all day.

“I remember telling the coaches in the morning that I would take six wickets and win the game for England.

“The Oval pitch was good for fast bowlers back then: the more you hit the pitch, the more you got out of it. People sometimes talk about the nine for 57 as though it was the only time I bowled well for England but I often did well at The Oval.

“I took five for 94 in a Test against Pakistan there in 1992, and I was man of the match in a one-day international against New Zealand in 1990.”

Malcolm believes he was inspired to do well here by the success of another Jamaica-born quick — West Indies great Michael Holding. In 1976, West Indies beat England by 231 runs, with Holding claiming match figures of 14 for 149.

“I was brought up in Jamaica like Michael Holding and we all know about his performance at The Oval,” said Malcolm, now 54. “I remember watching it regularly on videos and wanting to do well there, as he had done. Playing at Lord’s was special but I often seemed to save my best for The Oval.

“I still watch the nine-for from time to time. Most things are available on YouTube now and people still send me clips via email. It’s surprising that even young kids ask me about the spell. I’d expect it from their granddads!”

Malcolm’s 11-year-old son, Jaden, is a promising fast bowler in the Northamptonshire academy. If he plays international cricket one day, he will rarely face a challenge as tough as the one England bowlers accepted when they took on Hashim Amla here in 2012.

Amla spent more than 13 hours at the crease, making 311 not out. It is the highest Test score made on this ground by anyone alive, and bettered only by the 364 made in 1938 by Sir Len Hutton, who died in 1990.

Now, Amla is back for more, the foundation on which the South African batting effort is built. It will be his first Test innings on the ground since the triple-century but he has played limited-overs games here, too, and had a brief stint with Surrey in the second half of the 2013 summer.

“The Oval is up there in my three or four favourite venues around the world,” said the 34-year-old. “Especially when the sun is out and I don’t need hand warmers in my pockets.

“I enjoyed my time at Surrey and you don’t know what the future holds. I had a great time here, and it is a great place to play.”

Amla is one of many overseas greats to play Test cricket here and represent the county. Kumar Sangakkara is the most recent name on a list that includes Ponting, Waqar Younis and Sylvester Clarke.

Yet one family is synonymous with this county and ground. Both Micky and Alec Stewart played for Surrey and England; Micky was coach of the national team as Alec became a prominent player, who went on to captain his country. Alec is now director of cricket at Surrey and the family’s significance is reflected around the ground, through the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion and the Alec Stewart Gate.

“Lord’s is wonderful but The Oval is special in a different way,” said Alec. “It has always felt like home.” If England and South Africa can feel comfortable here this week, the 100th Test will be one to savour.